MPs have rejected a petition to ban TikTok, saying it would stifle freedom of expression and innovation.
They propose stricter regulations and compliance checks instead of a total ban, while addressing concerns around security and privacy.
Kenyan lawmakers rejected a petition urging the government to forbid the use of the social media site TikTok.
In the report that was presented to Parliament this week, the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee, which is headed by Nimrod Mbai, the Member of Parliament for Kitui East, concluded that the petition submitted by Bob Ndolo, the executive officer of Bridget Connect, to prohibit the platform in Kenya was not accepted.
The committee has decided to reject the petition due to the unfeasibility of a complete ban on TikTok, which would infringe upon fundamental rights and freedoms in the country.
It was in August of the previous year that Mr. Ndolo presented the petition to Parliament.
He expressed his regret that, despite the application’s growing popularity among Kenyan youth, the shared content on the platform is inappropriate.
It promotes violence, explicit sexual content, hate speech, vulgar language, and offensive behaviour, all of which pose a significant threat to the values of culture and religion.
In addition, the petitioner contended that the Communications Authority of Kenya does not have the authority to govern the internet in the nation, which makes it impossible to oversee the information that is published on TikTok or any other platform.
He warned that if the nation does not prohibit the app, its addictive nature will lead to a decline in Kenyan children’s academic performance and an increase in mental health disorders among the young, such as depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.
He said that this would be a consequence of the app’s addictive character.
In spite of this, the Public Petitions Committee contends that a complete prohibition on the use of TikTok in Kenya would not be advantageous.
The country’s total ban on TikTok usage would have far-reaching consequences, including a reduction in innovation and originality among content consumers.
According to the research, “banning the social media platform would stifle social and economic growth as well as the benefits of internet connectivity at a time when the country is attempting to expand its digital economy.”
However, the committee raised concerns about the safety and privacy of using TikTok in the country, as well as the content control processes that the platform employs.
The Committee recommended that the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and Digital Economy collaborate to address the raised issues and report back to Parliament within four months of the Public Petitions Committee’s report submission.
According to the findings of a survey by the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, Kenya is one of the nations that uses TikTok the most frequently, with 54 percent of its users using it for general purposes.
